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Space Science

Strong Solar Storms Predicted 27

Posted by michael from the button-up-your-overcoat dept.
capedgirardeau writes "Space.com reports about some very large coronal mass ejections, huge magnetic eruptions, coming from the Sun that started late Wednesday evening. "The activity is expected to generate colorful aurora, or Northern Lights into the northern U.S. states and much of northern Europe." Potential disruptions to communications, but hopefully a good show."
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Strong Solar Storms Predicted More

Strong Solar Storms Predicted

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  • I'm gonna be in the middle of nowhere in Montana camping this weekend. Hopefully I can get some cool northern lights pictures.
  • A few years ago I saw just a hint of the northern lights at Pyramid Lake here in Nevada, north of Reno. Very cool. Hopefully the same will happen again and my kids can see it.

  • A bit of karma whoring. (Score:4, Informative)

    by Eevee ( 535658 ) on Thursday October 23, 2003 @06:02PM (#7295910)
    See where the northern hemisphere's aurora activity [noaa.gov] is currently going on.

  • Damn! (Score:1)

    by (0d0 ( 633681 )
    It's times like this that make me wish I were still in Alaska....

  • Security Alert (Score:3, Informative)

    by szyzyg ( 7313 ) on Thursday October 23, 2003 @06:30PM (#7296108)
    I found it funny that at least one security organisation felt that the storms were a big enough threat to actually release an advisory on the CME. I used to be an astronomer, now I work in computer security - not exactly the most conventional career path.

    Now, I just need to write a patch and a remote vulnerability detection for this bug.

    TYPE : Intelligence Bulletin
    TITLE :

    TruSecure Activity Report: Geomagnetic Activity Warning

    DATE_PUBLISHED : 1066935840
    DATE_DISTRIB : 1066935840
    SEVERITY : 2
    DESCRIPTION :

    A coronal mass ejection (CME) from Sunspot 484 erupted on the sun on October 22, 2003, at approximately 3:00 PM. A CME is a cloud of high-energy particles that is ejected from the sun''s outer edge. In this instance, the CME has sent nearly 10 billion tons of matter toward Earth at speeds nearing 1 million miles per hour. It is expected to impact Earth at midday on October 24, 2003, and create a significant geomagnetic storm that could affect communications equipment worldwide when it enters Earth''s magnetic field.

    Geomagnetic activity associated with CMEs can dramatically disturb Earth''s magnetic field and disrupt electrical and communications systems that rely on radio waves as a transmission medium. Specifically, a CME can create voltage surges in electric power grids, disrupt radio communications and navigation systems, and negatively impact satellite operations.

    Similar storms have caused telecommunications outages in the past. In 1997, such a storm shut down an AT&T Telstar 401 satellite that provided television broadcasts. The following year another storm disrupted a Galaxy IV satellite from PanAmSat that supported automated teller machines and airline tracking systems. A storm disabled a number of satellites in 2000, affecting the functionality of communications and navigation systems. Such storms are also known to impact mobile phone operations and may disrupt Wi-Fi functionality.

    Most recently, Sunspot 484 emitted a solar flare on October 19, 2003, that temporarily disabled high frequency radio communications over the continental United States for more than two hours, greatly impairing airline and marine communications.

    This CME was unexpected because the 11-year cycle of activity for sunspots supposedly peaked at the end of 2000. A second region of the sun is also active and could create more powerful eruptions during the next two weeks.
    Summary :

    An unexpected coronal mass ejection on the sun has sent nearly 10 billion tons of matter hurtling toward Earth. It is expected to hit Earth at midday on October 24, 2003, and may result in a strong geomagnetic storm that could affect communications equipment.

    CONSEQUENCE :
    EXPLOIT :
    THIRD_PARTY_REC :
    SRC : VIGILINX
    LANG : en
    POPULARITY : Urgency : 2 Credibility : 5
    COMMENTS : Version : Original Release
    Alerthistory :

    This is a TruSecure Activity Report.

    SOLUTION : Warning :
    DATE_INSERT : 1066928506
    STATUS : I
    • I used to be an astronomer, now I work in computer security - not exactly the most conventional career path.

      I know at least one guy [amazon.com] who took a career path similar to yours...
  • Again.

    Anyone got any details of any effect to Australia? I know we can't see the southern lights unless we hang ten off the bottom of Tasmania, but some info might be handy.

  • GOES X-ray plot (Score:3, Informative)

    by hitchhacker ( 122525 ) on Thursday October 23, 2003 @07:19PM (#7296389) Homepage

    X-ray plot [noaa.gov]

    I havn't seen X-ray bursts to this level since I've been watching this graph. (past few months) There was an X level burst yesterday and another larger one a bit before noon today (thursday). It usually stays in the A-B range.

    -metric
  • it causes all kinds of problems on non-hardened space vehicles by setting up external charging and current on the surface which can leak inside, causing Single Event Upsets (SEUs) with on-board computers, or worse. The current solar cycle is proving to be very interesting and the effects on space vehicles has been unprecedented.

  • Any system administrator or helpdesk person worth their weight in gold has a special page in their excuse calendar just for this event: "SOLAR FLARES"

    "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET YOU ALL MORNING?!"

    I hate it when they shout at me early in the morning. It always puts me in a bad mood. You know what I mean.

    "Ah, yes. Well, there's been some solar activity this morning, it always disrupts electronics..." I say, sweet as a sugar pie.

    Bastard Operator From Hell [demon.co.uk]

    Also keep close by:

    • St
  • Wonder how much fun I migh have working the Ham Radio Bands during this!
    • Depends which bands ... some will likely have a serious iospheric disruption, others will have geomagnetic disturbance. But aim a 10m or VHF beam north and work auroral reflection and enjoy the flutter. 73
  • Radiation from the eruptions travels at the speed of light, right? So how do we find out about them hours before they start? Is there some method for telling when an eruption is going to happen soon?
  • Two of my computers rebooted around 9am Friday. My downstairs neighbor had similar problems. This could be mere coincidence, of course, but I don't normally have power fluctuation issues (well, except during gigantic blackouts and such).

  • During the last X burst carona event I was close to the North West Territorial border. What I experienced was one of most incredible experiences of my life. The Northern Lights sped up and swept from horizon to horizon, and atleast to an Azimuth 40 degrees past 90 or 50-60 degrees up from due South! It was incredible, and it did make a hissing sound. Don't believe me cut and paste this link. http://www.churchillmb.net/~cnsc/ab-attrac-lights . html
    Sorry I do not have /. authority to use a HREF=. Or atleast w

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